Sheet-stack handling mechanism



June 6, 1933. 1 R. JcHNs-N, 1,912,941

SHEET STACK 'HANDLING MECHANISM 2li I N V EN TOR. L wref/21E JEM/15m BYv June 6i L. R. JOHNSON 1&912941 SHEET STACK HANDLING MECHANISM Filed July 25, 1931 5 SheeILS-Sl'xeec` 2 n 22 Y U2 /3 l N VEN TOR. l zure/mz Jzz/f/fsa/f BY Y ATTORN g June 6, 1933 L.. R. JOHNSON 1,912,941

SHEET STACK HANDLING MECHANISM Filed July 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v N VEN TUR. aune/lm JU/f/fs'af/ A TToRNEY. 5,

`1une 6, 1933. L. Rl JOHNSON 1,912,941

SHET STACK HANDLING MECHANISM Filed July 2 5, 1931 5 Sheets-$11831, 4

INVENTOR. laure/ME .JM/15m BY ATTORNE June 6, 1933- L.. R. JOHNSON 1,912,941

SHEET STACK HANDLING MECHANISM Filed July 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATToRNEx/s-r Patented June 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE E. "JOHNSON, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, AssIGNOR 'ro THEOHANDLEE. a PRICE COMPANY, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO i SHEET-STACK HANIuLINer` MECHANISM .Application led July 25,

This invention relates to sheet-handling mechanism, and more particularly such mechanism as adapted'for association with printi ing presses; and it is among the objects of the invention to provide `improved construction affording controlled-movement of sheetstacksn relation to means for handling individual sheets. Another object, of the `invention is the provision of construction making possible accurate regulation and correlation of respective working elements. Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,.the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described,and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the anneXeddraWings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few ofthe variousways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings Y Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of mechanism in `accordance with the invention as associated with a printing press; Fig. 2 is a front elevational `View of the same; Figs; 3

and 4 are detail plan and side elevational 130 views respectively of the feed table and associated elements on slightly larger scale;

F igstf and 6 are enlarged sectional details, taken on planesV substantially at right angles to each OtheryFig. 7 isa slightly enlarged detail `of table-Operating mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Figs. `8 and 9 are similar views of modifications; `and Figs. 10, 11 and 12 areV sectional details of drive connections, the

first-named `figures being taken on sectional planes substantially at right angles to each other. i i

\ Referring more particularly tothe `drawings, there is `shown in Fig. 1 the fra1ne2 of av printing press of platen or Gordonftype.

"475 [nking `mechanism 3 ofl conventional type,

and a drive motor 4 are shown, .as in customary practice. The further details of the printing press beingimmaterial to the vpres-` ent invention, reference theretois further i unnecessary. Mounted' in relationwith the 1931. serial No. 553,092.

`printing press is sheet-feed means, for instance of pneumatic type, the guide 5 and reciprocating cross-head 6 thereof ybeing indicated as in conventional relation, and sheet-` delivery means, for instance also of pneumatic type, is likewise arranged to pick up the printed sheet from the press and deposit such sheets in succession upon a delivery table 7 at the front of the press. The detail of the individual sheet feed and sheet-dey livery means being well known, and forming no part of the present invention, further consideration thereof may be passed over. Supported alongside the press, for instance by a bracket S, isa feed ta-ble 9 carried preferably adjustably, as by a post `10 which may be of rounded or cylindrical section and held in desired position by set screws or other suitable means, as adjusted in the socket of the bracket 8. Desirably, the table 9 is also tiltably adjustable, and for this the` mounting may include spaced dependent ears 11 engaging with the upper end of the support post 10 andbeing cla-mpable in desired angular position by a clamp nut l2 on bolt 13. Side frame members 14 are arrangedon the table 9, and a stack of sheets S to beprinted is `receivable on the table betweenthe side frames, a plate or support-panel 15 being slidable upon the table for such purpose. As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 more particularly,.this support-panel or pusher-plate 15 is moved for` wa-rdly inthe advancing feed movementof the stack, by means of traveling belts 16 mounted at each side in the frames 14. The

chains may engage the pusherplate by `lugs g arranged tocontact with and push the plate along, or the chains may be attached to projections 17, being bolted thereto through the links or through a special elongated link construction. Advantageously,guide-rollers r on the pusher-platemay travel in corresponding guide-ways in `theframe members. For thedrive of the` chains 16, the shaft 18 carry- .ing the chain-sprockets 19 may be `driven throughthe intermediary of a worm-gear 2O and Worm 21 `on a shaft 22. The'WormQl is mounted in a housing 23 which is'carriedinl turn by bracket 24 arising fromlthe end of the table. Conveniently, a `hand-wheel 25 100 j outer end, the rock-shaft 55V has a crank eX-' A i may be secured to the upper end of the shaft 22 for use in adjusting positions. In accordance with the tiltable character of the mounting of the table 9, the drive connections for the shaft 22 may include a universal joint 2G, and a shaft 27 driven through bevel gearing 28 by a shaft 29. Secured on the shaft 29 is a drive connection comprising a unidirectional intermittently frictionally engaging means which operates on forward motion and releases on reverse, thus allowing a variable length step-forward movement of the shaft. T his may vary somewhat in detail construction, but advantageously may embody a hub member 30 fixed to the shaft 29, such hub member having wings 3l recessed at 32 for the reception of a spring 33 andy plunger 34, the latter bearing against a roller 35 which rides in the space between an outer housing 36 and a face 37 on the body 3Q. rlhe faces 37 are arranged on an incline or tangent such that when the rollers 35 are back at the rear of the recesses, free clearance is had between the abutment faces 37 and the outer housing 36, and the rollers ride freely. TWith. the rollers however' positioned toward t-he outer range of their excursion movement, binding occurs between the housing 36 and the faces 37. Cduch arrangement permits movement of the housing 36 in one direction to an indefinite degree, but on reversal of the direction of movement the rollers 35 quickly bind betweenthe housing 36 and the abutting faces 37, and the member 3() is then carried in movement with the housing. The housing 36, thus being capable ofcorresponding relative movement with respect to the body inember 30, is vprovided Vwith a lug 38 to which is pivotally connected a link 39, this in turn be ing connected at it slower end to an arm 4() of a bell-crank lever which is fulcrumed at 4l, and whose other arm 42 carries a cam roller 43. The latter rides upon and is actuated by a cam 44 on .shaft 45 which may be driven from the printing press, or may in fact be one of the shafts thereof. .A spring s may be provided between'the lever arm 40 and a convenientvbracket below, the spring preferably `surrounding a rod slidable in such bracket, whereby to assist proper return of the parts. The lever arm 4,2 extends beyond the cam roller 43 and engages between col-k lars 46, 47, which may be adjustable as desired, on` slide tube 48 mountedv on a tubular guide 49, and connected above through a universal joint 50 with slide tube 51,' which actuates the cross-head 6 and the sheet-feed means already referred to.

Mounted on the feed table in a bracket 52 invadvance of the stack ofsheets is a feeler 53, this beingv in the form of a contacting bar 54 secured'to'a rock-shaft-55 in the aforementioned arm or bracketi52. AAtf its freeor tension 56 which is pivotally connected to a lilik 57 in turn pivotally connected to a lever 58 which is mounted on a bracket 59. Toward the inner end of the lever 58, the link 60 is pivotally connected and extends thence downwardly to the stud of the cam roller 43, a limited lost-motion connection slot 7c being provided for extreme positionings. The effect of such an assembly then is that each rise of the cam roller 43 reciprocates the link 60, and through the lever 58, the link 57, thus rocking the shaft 55 and the feeler 53 in synchronism. At its inner end, the lever 58 contacts a corresponding end of a lever 6l which is fulcrumed at 62 in the bracket arm 59. The outer end of this lever 6l is pivotally connected to a link 63, whose lower end is in turn pivotally connected with the link 39. Correspondingly, the throw-link 39, and the lever (il are governed as to their amount of movement, by lever 58 as follows: rl"he precise position of the end of the lever 58 at any time will depend upon the position of the feeler arm 54, and this is dependent in turn upon the position of the` advancing face of the sheet stack S, or in other words, is dependent upon the rate of advance thereof as carried forward by the table-belts 16, modified however, by the rate of melting away of the stack as the sheets are picked therefrom by the picker-feeder one by one and carried to the press. T he lever-arm 4() is connected to the link 39 by a pinqnojection in slot m of the link. The length of the slot is such that the arm 4() can swing within the clearance of the slot and not advance the housing 36 when the levers (3l and 58 are in' a certain normal or equilibrium position as determined by the stack of sheets S at the front edge of the table. This condition however, is changed when sheet-feed from the front of the stack allows feeler 54 to swing further in; and when this occurs the linkage downto lever 58 changes the position of the abutment end of the lever 58, and the lever 58 can then correspondingly changeV the lever Gl with its contacting end 67 against the abutment presented by the end of lever 58. At the same time the link 39 is raised out of of its above-mentioned normal position and on the lift of the cam lever 42 the pin on lever 40 then reaches` the end of'slot fm, before the end of its travel and thus pulls the link proportionately down again to normal position. Such movements of link 39 actuate the housing 3G to Vturn the shaft 29 a corresponding step forward.

1n the form shown in Fig. 8, the cam 44, cam roller 43, link 60a, lever 58a and link 57, are arranged analogously to the correspond-- ing elements as already described, the lever 58a being fulcrumed in bracket 59a. At vits inner end, the lever 58a abuts against the head of a rod 63a which is slidably mounted in brackets, and whose lower end rides on alatch k64 ywhich is pivotally connected to the framefaft theffpoint 65. `Thelatch-64- at its free end rides in a recess 66 provided by a" lug on thehousing 36a. The latter is con-` nectedsby means `of another lug38 with link 89, which in `turn is connected with arm 40 y ofa bell-crank lever'which is pivoted at 4l.

The other `arm 42 of such lever connects with the cam roller 43and link 60a:i A spring ts may be providedbetween thelink A60a and a convenient point on the frame, to assist in maintaining theparts in workingposition.

In this arrangement, movement of the cam 44 reciprocates the link 60a and through the lever 58a, the link 57, which aetuates the f feeler at each throw. At the same: time, the

as abutted by the inner end ofthe lever 58a as gauged by the position of the feeler 54. Correspondingly, the throw of the link 89 and housing 86 isgauged in accordance with the needs. In Fig. 9, a slight further modification is shown. In this, the cani 44, cam roller 48, link 60?), lever 58?), and `link 57, are .arranged as foregoing. The inner end of the lever 58?) howevcnbears upon an arm 67 Z).

of a bell-crank leverpivoted at 68, the other arm v69 constituting a sort of pendulum-like member having a fork 7 0 at the lower end,

riding over a pin l carried by the housing 861). `Lever 42?) is fulcrumedat 41and the ,i other arm 402) of the lever extends to uneon nectedly engagea pin 38?) on the housing 365.` `With this arrangement, the movement of the cam 44 reciprocatesthe link 605, and through the lever 58?), the link 57, and correspondingly moves the feeler. time, the lever `arm'f405` rocks, but the pin .38?) will be in such position that it will movev `the housing 365 `only at such times as deter- -mined by the position ofthe lever69, as in l turn ultimately lmited by the position of the inner endof the lever 58?) as in abutment against the arm 67 Z).

",The shaft29 extends on from theratehet,"

36 for actuation ofthe sheetfstack movement the delivery end of the press. Spiral gear?- ing 72, 73A (see Figs. l0, 1l) serves to transmit motion from theshaft 29 to a cross-shaft 74 which carries a pinion 75 meshing in rackteeth of thevertical `delivery table supporting stem 76. The delivery table progressively lowers to accommodate the received printed sheets, and sincethe turning `ofthe connect# ing' shafts is inthedirection of clutch 80486 it. will be seen that"`an excessive weight on i the delivery tablemighteause turning of the connecting shafts and over-ride the driving At the same mechanism ofthebfeed table'9` and force theA feed stack S out. A clutch 77, 78 is accordingly interposed, and when'shaft 29is turned by an actuationof drive clutch 30-36, the' teeth of slip-clutch member 77 drive the member 78 to lower the deliverytable correspondingly. If however, the delivery table lowering action byreason of weight should tend to exceed the limit to which the clutch 77 had driven, the teeth of clutchemember 78 would slip on the long incline faces of the other teeth and expand the clutch, forcing the splined member 77 back on its shaft 29 to sieze and brake in the coned brake seat 86` affixed to the gearbox 87. On the shaft 74 a hand-throw-out clutchmay be provided in order to allow desired retraction or adjustment of "the feed table.` "This may comprisev clutch members 79, `80, the latter being actu-` ated hy a handflever 8l. When the clutch 80 isthrown out of engage1nent,the shaft 74 may be turned to adjust the height of the delivery table 7 as desired, a hand-crank c facilitat` ing such' operation. i i

The operation `of `themechanism as a whole will be readily understood fromV the foregoing. A stack of ,sheets `S to be fed is placed on the feed-table against the pusher-plate 15,

and the stack and pusher-plate are adjusted to proper position toengage against the feeler arm 54. F or such adJustment of position, the small hand-clutch 82 maybe thrown out, being simply slid back `out of engagement by grasp- V ing the lnindle-collar 88 (Fig. l2), the pins Y 84 being thereby slipped out of engagement in the gear drive 85. `The clutch 82 may be splined'on shaft 18 and the gear 85 may be loose. 4Vith the sheet-stack then properly set up in position against the feeler,ithe clutch 82, 88 is shoved back intoengagement; The

delivery table 7 is` adjusted to desired height to receive the sheets asdeposited by the sheetdelivery arm from the press. F or such ad justment the clutch 8O may be thrown out of engagement by means ofthe clutch-handle 8l, and the table `may then be set to desired level. `With ythe press nowstartedup into operation, the shaft "as 4rotated thereby, turns the cam 44, and actuates the camroller 4 8, movingthe lever 42 and the link 60 with s each rotation. The reciprocating movement of link rocks the lever 58, and through the flink'57 the rock-shaft 55, thereby swinging the feeler bar 54 back andforth intoand out of contact with the forward sheet ofthe stackS. Duringthe-.removal of the f-eeler, the

picker-ann of the sheet-feed meehanisnr` swings in, pickstheforemost sheet from the stack andl carries it into the press, all in dee tail asn'eed not further be dwelled upon, it

beingsuflicient to point out that the pieken` u arm-is actuated from the `crosshead` 6on the upper end of the sliderodl which lis reciprocatedupand `down bythe leverfarm 42.` At

the same time, the otherarm40 ofthe lever.A

42 swings up and down in theslot connection of the link 39 (Fig. l). When the feeler arm 54 shifts its position inwardly as the front sheet of the stack S is fed away, the linkage down to lever 58 changes the latters position such that the lever 61 then re-sets the link 63, lug 38 and link 39 so that the lever arm 40 moves the link 39 and clutch housing 36, and since the variable-throw-housing 36 turns freely over the rollers 35 (Fig. 5) and core 30, in the up-throw, but immediately binds the rollers 35 against the abutments 37 on the reverse throw, the shaft 29 is stepped up to a corresponding amount. With the shaft 29 thus rotated a step the shaft 27 through the gearing 28 is correspondingly turned, and this, through the universal joint 26, extension shaft 22, worm 21, and wormgear 20, drives the sprocket shaft 18 and moves the chain 16 and pusher 15 with the sheet-stack a step forward. By reason of the compensative nature of the driving mechanism connection, it is seen that the extent of such step forward is governed by the needs at any given instant, as gauged by the feeler arm 54. rIhe variable-throw clutch driveconnection makes possible very closely regulatable increments of advance so that whether the sheets Vbeing fed are of a thinness represented by the lightest stock capable of being printed, or of a thickness represented by board stock in fractions of an inch, eX- act compensation can be had in any case. While the shaft 29 is thus transmitting motion for the step-up feed of the stack S on 'the feed-table 9, motion is also being transkdetail shown in Fig. 7, or Figs. 8 or 9, the

extent of the movement of the variable-throwhousing 36 Within each throw is determined by the limiting position of the lever 58, or 58a, or 58?), as'controlled by the position of the feeler against the foremost sheet of the stack on the feed-table.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details disclosed, provided the means stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and' distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In mechanism of the character described, means for supporting a stack of sheets on edge, stack-moving means for advancing said stack to a feed-picking device, stack-moving means for retracting the sheet-stack as deposited by a delivery-depositing device, and means, including a pile-feeler, for controlling the feed-rate movement of each said stack-moving means in accordance with the sheet-thickness as each sheet is handled'.

2. In mechanism of the character described, a feed-table, means for advancing a sheet-stack thereon, uni-directional driving means intermittently frictionally engaging on said movement and releasing on reverse, control-means for said driving means operable by movement of the sheet-stack the amount ofthe thickness of a sheet, a clutch for disconnecting the driving means, and a manually-operated means for moving the sheet-stack feed means.

3. In mechanism of the character d'escribed, a delivery table, uni-directional driving means intermittently frictionally engaging on forward movement and releasing on reverse, control-means for said driving means operable by movement of the sheetstack the amount of the thickness of a sheet, a clutch for disengaging the driving means, and a manually operated means for moving the said table.

4. In mechanism of the character described, a delivery table, driving means foi` retracting said table, said means including a driven shaft carrying a hub-member, a driving-housing adjacent said hub-member and oscillatorily moved, and roller-means between said hub and said housing frictionally binding on said movement and releasing on reverse movement of said housing, and controlmeans for saidv driving means operable by movement of the sheet-stack the amount of the thickness of a sheet. i

5. In mechanism of the character described, stack-moving means for advancing a sheet-stack to a feed-picker device, stackmoving means for retracting a sheet-stack as deposited by a delivery-depositing device, driving means including a driven shaft carrying a hub member, a driving housing adjacent said hub member and oscillatorily moved, and roller means between said hub and said housing frictionally binding on feed movement and releasing on reverse movement of said housing, and control-means for said driving means operable by movement of the sheet-stack the amount of the thickness of a sheet.

6. In mechanism of the character vdescribed, a feed table, means for advancing a sheet-stack thereon, driving means including a driven shaft carrying hub member, a driving housing adjacent said hub member and oscillatorily moved, and roller means between said hub and said housing frictionally bindsaid pusher determining the extent of 8. In mechanism of the character de-` scribed, a` feed-table, a pusher-plate thereon, means for advancing said pusher-plate, a cam, a variable throw driving connection, said driving connection including means for frictionally engaging on andV releasing on reverse, lever means operated by said cam for actuating said driving connection, and means governed by the position of the foremost sheet` advanced by throw of said driving connection.

9. In mechanism of the character described, a feed-table, a pusher thereon, means for moving said pusher, a cam, a variable throw driving connection, said driving` connection including means for frictionally engaging on forward movement and releasing on reverse, lever means operated by said cam for actuating said driving connection, a feeler in advance of said pusher, and an abutment controlled by said feeler for determining the eX tent of throw of said driving connection.

10. In mechanism of the character de-` scribed, a feed-table, a pusher thereon, means for driving` said pusher, a cam, a variable throw driving connection, said driving connection including means for frictionally engaging on forward movement and releasing on reverse, means operated by said cam` for actuating said driving connection, a feeler in `advance of said pusher, an abutment lever connected with said feeler and having its position determined thereby, and means operated by said cam contacting with said abutment lever.

l1. In mechanism of the character described, a feed-table, a pusher thereon, means for driving said pusher, af cam, a variable throw driving connection, Ameans operated by said cam for actuating said driving connection, a feeler in advance of said pusher, an abutment lever ,connected with said feeler and having its position determined thereby, and a link and lever operated by said cam into contact with said abutment leverV for controlling said means actuating the driving connection.

forward movement 12. In mechanism of the character described, a feed-table, a pusher thereon,means for moving said pusher, a` cam, a` variable throw driving connection, said ldriving connection including meansfor frictionally engaging on forward'movement andr-eleasing on reverse, lever means operated by said cam for actuating said driving connection, afeeler in advance of saidV pusher, an abutment leverconnected with said feeler and having its positiondetermined thereby, a pivotally mounted latch engaged by a lug on said driving connection, and a slide-rod engaging said latch and coming into contact with said abutment lever. Y

13. In mechanism of thecharacter described, a feed-table, a pusher thereon, means for moving said pusher, a cam, a variable throw driving connection, lever means operated by `said cam for driving connection, a feeler with said feeler and having termined thereby, and a pendulum-type lever having its lower arm in swinging engagement with said driving connection for limiting the effective throw of said driving con nection and its upper arm adapted to contact with said abutment lever.

14. In mechanism of the character described, a delivery table, means for controlling the recession of said table, said means including a cam, a variable throw driving its position deconnection, operating connections between said cam and said driving connection, a shaft operated by said driving connection, and a clutch and brake intermediary between said shaft and said delivery table.

15. In mechanism of. the character described, a feed table, a pusher thereon, means for advancing said pusher, a delivery table, gearing for retracting said delivery table, a cam, a variable throw driving connection', connections from said cam to said driving connection for operating the same, a shaft actuated by said driving connection, driving connections between said shaft and said pusher and said delivery table, a feeler in advance of said pusher, an abutment lever controlled by said feeler, and connections between said driving connection and said abutment lever for determining the throw of the driving connection. y 16. In mechanism of the character described, a feed-table, a pusher thereon, a,

delivery table, a cam, a variable throw driving connection, driving connections between said cam and said variable throw connec- L tion, a shaft `driven by said driving connection, connections from said shaft to said pusher and said delivery table, a feeler in advance of said pusher, an abutment lever operated by said feeler, driving connections actuating said` in advance of` `said pusher, an abutment lever connected between said cam and said abutment lever, and connections between said variable throw driving connection and said abutment lever, said connections including a reciprocating member.

Signed by me this 14th day of July7 1931.

LAWRENCE JOHNSON. 

